Optical fiber transmission lines or waveguides for carrying a beam of light for carrying data or communication signals through a glass or polymer optical fiber are well known in the art. The fibers are coated with various hard and/or soft layers to aid in retaining the path for the light carrying the data or signals. The fibers must be buffered against forces which might distort them and thus mechanically interfere with their light transmitting properties.
When cables containing optical fibers are manufactured, the cables sometimes are provided with strength members to prevent excessive elongation of the optical fibers and which protect the fibers from other damage as well. Strength members, such as braided high strength polymer fiber jackets surrounding optical fibers, provide strength to the cable as it may be unreeled, pulled, strung from supports, or used as a tow cable for instruments or devices towed behind aircraft, watercraft, underwater vehicles for various uses, or used to connect units of a space station or satellite. One of the principal problems which occurs during the use of such strength members is the crushing effects under the radial load of the braid on the optical fibers contained inside the braid when such braid is put in tension, such as that created by a mass being towed. A related problem occurs when upper layers of the spooled cable crush radially the lower layers upon reeling a cable around a reel, or upon reeled optical fiber cable under load.
Solutions to the above problems are needed, solutions which isolate the sensitive optical fibers from the strength member, which decouple the fibers from the forces exerted by the strength member and thus the harsh environment.